Chapter 1
The full moon cast its ample light on the small town of Shandaken, on a crisp, late April night. Hundreds upon hundreds of stars filled Monica’s view, bringing a bitter smile to her face. Until three months ago, she would have savored each and every moment of this unique spectacle. After all, the bright, New York City lights had never allowed her to see so many stars in the sky. Most of them were invisible to her. Worse than that, the noise around her apartment building would render it impossible to stand on her balcony and enjoy such a romantic setting. Sooner or later, her ears would buzz, and she would be forced to go back inside. But more importantly, living in that apartment back then, Monica Mills was not alone. She was married to Tom Riker, her high school sweetheart, and they would have been able to share all of this peace and quiet together.
But now, their marriage was over. Monica had been a doctor at the New York Metropolitan Hospital and as such, she didn’t have much time for Tom. As an advertising executive, he had to travel a lot. The two of them only saw each other two or three times a month and, although Monica had believed that spending some time apart would strengthen their relationship, she was proven hopelessly wrong.
At first, everything seemed to be going well. She couldn’t wait for him to come back from his trips. He would bring her presents, take her out on romantic dinners, and take her mind off of the fact that they were, in essence, having a long-distance relationship. With Tom treating her so specially, it took only a matter of minutes for Monica to forget how long he had been away from her. All that mattered to her was that they were together again.
As time went by, however, the young couple seemed to be drifting apart. Presents no longer made an appearance, no part of talking was ever sweet, and Tom became as distant emotionally as he had been on his trip. Tenderness had left his voice. The look in his eyes grew colder every time he walked in the door. He wouldn’t touch her; he wouldn’t treat her the way he used to. Sweet, tender moments were soon replaced by loud arguments, harsh words, and tears.
Just eight months after their wedding, Tom filed for a divorce. Monica might have been devastated to be served the papers, but, on some level, she couldn’t deny that she was relieved. The situation between them had become unbearable. What she had hoped would be a long, happy marriage had started feeling more like a prison she could not escape. The apartment that once housed their love was now a place filled with bittersweet memories–a place where she could no longer stay.
Which is why Monica requested a reassignment just three weeks after the divorce was final. The twenty-nine-year-old doctor had to pick up her pieces and start over. As much as she loved her colleagues, friends, and family, she could not do anything positive by staying in New York. Monica needed a new work environment, a change of pace, far away from the bustling city, but near enough for her loved ones to visit. The town of Shandaken up in the Catskill Mountains, one hundred and thirty miles away from New York, was perfect for what she had in mind. It was quiet, secluded; not much would be happening there.
The sound of the diesel engine from the moving company truck was fading in the distance when Kate Brooks and Julia Stinson, Monica’s closest friends, joined her on the front porch of her new residence.
“So,” Kate started, folding her arms across her chest as she stopped beside Monica, “new home, new town… How does it feel?”
“Ask me again in a month,” Monica said, her voice low as she dropped her gaze from the sky. “I guess it will take a little bit of getting used to.”
“I like it already,” Julia confessed, her tone sweet as she stepped closer to the railing. “I mean, what’s not to like? Small, modest neighborhoods, scent of pine in the air, wet soil… Oh, and did I mention hot mountain men? I saw a few of them on our way up here.”
“Foul mouths, beards, tattoos…,” Monica shook her head, her brows popping up in disapproval. “Thanks, but I’ll pass. Besides, I think it’s too early for me to date.”
“Tell me I didn’t hear that,” Kate pitched her voice louder, giving her friend an angry, sideways glare. “How long’s it been since your divorce again?”
“Five months.”
“Exactly!” Kate exclaimed as one in charge of all the answers of the universe. “Let it go, Mon. It’s not healthy.”
“Oh, Kate,” Monica said with a sigh, “you don’t understand. I need to adjust to living here first. That’s why I moved in two weeks before I start working at the hospital. A boyfriend can wait.”
“I’m going to be here a lot more often than I thought,” Julia interjected, her voice lowering to a soft whisper as she pointed at the horizon. “Look at that. Isn’t it amazing?”
Julia was in fact gazing at the awesome sight of the Wolf Mountain Peak. The moon and the stars had painted it a glimmering shade of light purple, lighting up the few patches of snow on the slopes. The beams splashed a warm sensation onto Monica’s face. She hadn’t been in Shandaken for more than just a few hours, and she had already found something that took her breath away. However, the magnificent spectacle did not last long. A massive shadow began to cover the mountain, effectively ruining the moment as slopes and peak alike slowly got lost in the darkness.
“Bummer,” Julia murmured, lowering her arm as Monica’s gaze shot up into the sky. The moon was starting to hide between two large clouds as a strong gust of wind blew through her hair. Within seconds, all the three friends could see was the globe’s shadow peeking through the clouds. Disappointment unfurled in her chest. She had never seen the moonlight so bright before or so many stars in the sky, and this incredible scenery had been taken away from her. Yet, before Monica could voice her annoyance, a loud howl filled the air, echoing in the wilderness that surrounded her home. A small smile formed on her face as she closed her eyes against how good it felt to hear the cry of her most favorite animal on earth for the very first time: the gray wolf. Monica savored each and every second it lasted, feeling every fine hair all over her body rise.
“We got something in return,” she whispered upon opening her eyes as the howl faded into nothingness. “It’s so beautiful.”
“Oh, my God!” Julia squeaked in terror. “There are wolves up here?”
“Wolves, bears, coyotes….” Monica’s smile widened as she turned to face her friend. “We’re in the mountain, Jules. Seriously, what did you expect?”
“You’re a weird lady,” Kate let out a short laugh, her eyes glinting with amusement. “I should have seen this coming, though. You never shut up about them.”
“They’re closer to us than we think,” Monica maintained, speaking in a more serious tone. “They live in societies, there’s a chain of command, pretty much like the army; alpha male and alpha female mate for life. Talk about true love.”
A crackling stream of lightning flashed and sizzled just as she finished her sentence. A deafening boom of thunder rattled the windows, causing the hardwood floor to vibrate beneath their feet. Monica was undeterred. A little rain would not discourage her from hearing more and more wolf howls. She had been waiting for this moment for a long time, and gentle rain was not enough to change her mind about staying on the porch. Still, this was anything but gentle. As a matter of fact, it was so hard and sudden that their clothes were soaked before any of them knew it. The rain pelted down around them as another clap of thunder tore through the night, leaving them no choice but to rush back inside. Monica closed her eyes into slits, taking one last look around her, thanking her luck for hearing the howl, even though this night was so violently interrupted.
“‘Til next time, wolf. ‘Til next time.”